Even among its opponents, the experts agree the Biometric Law if passed, will indeed bring along with it some wanted security enhancements, but 14 experts in Israel have signed a petition in the hope of stopping the bill before it becomes law, confident the cons far outweigh the benefits.

It all began with a desire to increase security, which everyone agrees is a badly-needed move, since teudat zehut identity cards used today are simply primitive, a laminated card with a photo, easily duplicated by using basic computer and printer applications. As lawmakers sought to bring Israel into the 21st Century and enhance security surrounding identity cards and implement a smart identity card that will contain a database of information on each person, the shift to biometric became an option. Today, the Knesset is voting on the second and third readings of a bill that will determine if the nation will establish a biometric database, a record of every citizen’s fingerprints and face scan.

Opponents of this move, headed by Minister (Likud) Mickey Eitan feel that such a database poses too great a risk since it is only a matter of time until this information is stolen or leaks out, thereby compromising the privacy and security of citizens and the state. As a result, a compromise has been reached between Justice Minister Prof. Yaakov Neeman and Interior Minister Eli Yishai, by which the database will be split between the ministries. One will contain a list of names and codes, while the other dataset will contain biometric data and codes. Only high-level officials with access to both databases can pair them together. In addition, the agreement states that if either database is compromised, the other must immediately be destroyed, leaving unidentifiable data.

This all sounds nice on paper, but 14 prominent Israeli experts are not convinced, insisting that there is no need for such a database, one which they feel is an invasion of personal privacy and infringes on a number of other areas. They also state that other technology, which is far less expensive and perhaps a higher level of security in certain aspects, can solve the identity card problem without the need for amassing a nationwide database.

The opponents signed a petition which they are circulating among all MKs, calling upon them not to vote in favor of the bill. The experts signed on the petition are:
Prof. David Harel, Israel Prize (IP) recipient for Computer Science in 2004.
Prof. Ida Yonat, Wolf Prize for chemistry 2007, IP Chemistry 2002.
Prof. Eli Beham, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, Technion, an expert in the field of encrption and data security.
Prof. Amos Baimel, Computer Science Dept. Ben-Gurion U., an expert in the field of encryption and data security.
Prof. Danny Dolev, Hebrew U. School of Engineering & Computer Science, a data security expert.
Prof Yaakov Zin, IP for Science 1993 and Israel Security Prize.
Prof. Noga Elon, IP recipient in Mathematics 2008, Israel Security Prize.
Prof. Yaakov Beckenstein, IP for Physics 2005.
Prof. Yakir Aaronoff, Wolf Prize in Physics 1998, IP Physics 1989.
Prof. Yosef Amri, IP for Physics 2001.
Prof. Amir Herzberg, Dept. of Computer Science, Bar Ilan U., an expert in encryption and data security.
Prof. Benny Shor, Tel Aviv U. School of Computer Science, an expert in data security and informatics.
Prof. Eyal Kushlavitz, on faculty in the School of Computer Science, Technion, an expert in data security and encryption.
Prof. Omer Reingold, Weizmann Institute, a faculty member in the School of Mathematics & Computer Science, an expert in encryption and data security.

A strong proponent includes Prof. Yossi Almog, a former director of the Institute for Criminal Identification and formally on staff in Hebrew University’s Institute of Chemistry in Yerushalayim. Regarding one of the major objections, the invasion of privacy, Almog explains that today, there are already many databases in existence which contain personnel information on each and every one of us, “and we live with this too” he explains, because we understand the importance of such data. 

He feels that if the “experts” are assigned to undertake such a project, only those who pass the most stringent security checks and meet all the criteria, there is no reason for the concern. To support his case, he used the IDF’s fingerprint database that was established following the 1973 Yom Kippur War when officials realized the difficulty in tracking down MIAs. “Since it was established, it was never used for unacceptable purposes” he insists, “not even once”.

In addition, Israel has tried for some time to eliminate the need for visas for citizens wishing to visit the United States. America has repeatedly told Interior Ministry officials that until such time Israel changes over to biometric passports, there is nothing to talk about, the request will not even be considered.

Following 9/11 America has heightened awareness and concerns regarding global terrorism and visitors arriving in the USA from the Mideast remains high on the list of concerns. America insists that Israel’s outdates laminated passports are far too easy to forge and eliminating a visa application and subsequent screening process would leave a wide hole in the new security network.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)